The 27-year-old from Bath was more than half a second quicker than the rest of the field at Vancouver 2010 after the final heat.

She becomes Britain's first gold medallist in an individual discipline at the Winter Olympics since ice skater Robin Cousins, who triumphed at Lake Placid in 1980.

Williams, nicknamed "curly wurly" because of her frizzy hair, hugged team-mates and wrapped herself in a Union Flag after her win at the track in Whistler, Canada.

She was leading going into the fourth and final run, and held off Kerstin Szymkowiak from Germany.

She also beat the home favourite Mellisa Hollingsworth, who ended up fourth - and survived a protest against the legality of her helmet.

Her win marks Britain's first medal at this year's Winter Olympics.

Williams' team-mate Shelley Rudman, who won a silver at Turin four years ago, missed out on the podium this year, finishing sixth.